Man severely burned in house explosion: Edward Hahn drove himself to fire station

Apr 9, 2020

Mapleton, MN – A man is in a hospital with serious burns after a suspected house explosion south of Mapleton Tuesday afternoon.

Edward Hahn drove himself to the Mapleton Fire Station and was airlifted to a Twin Cities hospital with burns. First-responders then found evidence of an apparent explosion at 10339 568th Ave. The cause is still under investigation, Mapleton Fire Chief Ben Froehlich said.

Hahn has burns over nearly half of his body, said his fiance, Tina DeVlaeminck.

She and other family members will not be permitted to visit him at Abbot Northwestern Hospital due to pandemic visitor restrictions.

DeVlaeminck has talked to him on the phone. Hahn told her he was starting the dryer when there was an explosion. They suspect the dryer ignited a natural gas explosion. Hahn was the only person inside the residence.

Hahn, from Good Thunder, was living short-term with a friend at the rural residence near Lura Lake. The house sustained relatively minor damage, DeVlaeminck said.